The problem with interviewing John Gierach is that things inevitably veer towards a conversation, which isn’t exactly the goal when you’re trying to do the old school interview thing.
He’s bright and he’s clearly thought about this stuff a lot more than I have and he’s clearly OK with being challenged, and it’s hard not to end up swimming in that reservoir of ideas.
Still — despite the fact his voice was going away — I got some interesting stuff, including this thought about fishing for winter steelhead (when conditions are uncertain and the fish hard to find):
But the winter fish are worth it. They’re huge and they’re bright and they’re raspy and they still have sea lice on them. It’s worth it. It’s just worth it. You may only get one or a few, but it’s like rhinoceros hunting; you don’t bag thirty of them, you get your one or a few, take your Teddy Roosevelt picture, and leave it at that.
It’s not about the body count, and more people should probably fish trout that way. They really should.
Work to do, and yes — tomorrow there will be fish to catch (perhaps big fish). I’ll get the interview up next week.
See you at the word processor, Tom Chandler.
I am looking forward to reading both the book and your interview. I find it kind of interesting he uses rhino hunting as an analogy in that quote above. As far as I know, no rhino ever got back up after a TR-style photo. I understand the point he was making, though, and agree. I can’t come up with a better analogy right now, halfway through this morning’s first cup of coffee, and can only hope that one day I will write as well as Mr. Gierach so I’ll just shut up and leave it at that.
Quill Gordon(Quote)
See, there’s your problem. Gierach didn’t want to be interviewed until he’d had several cups of coffee. To write like him, we all just need more caffeine…
Tom Chandler(Quote)
After more coffee I realized it was just a metaphorical rhinoceros and felt better.
Quill Gordon(Quote)
I already own the rights to manic caffeinated writing, and many rejection slips. Keep the (faith) blog, and spare the rhinos.
JJP(Quote)
“It’s not about the body count, and more people should probably fish trout that way”; some of us fish that way wholly unintentionally.
Also, if that excuse has been used once it’s been used a million times–and will be used as long as people fish. Of couse it’s about catching fish, otherwise you could just walk along the river.
ed(Quote)